Popular Woodworking 2005-10 № 150, страница 35
Shop Fox W1724 15" Planer with Spiral Cutterhead In our February 2005 issue we tested 15" planers and, honestly, we missed one. The Shop Fox W1724 should have been in the test. The W1724 stands out as one of the new spiral cutterhead models. This planer uses three disposable, high-speed steel knives mounted in a spiral pattern. Of the spiral head variations available, this design provides a quality cut, is quiet, less expensive and it's easy to change and set the knives. In testing the noise level we had a 79 decibel (dB) reading without wood running through and a 90 dB reading when running wood. That gave us a dB variance of 11, which puts it fairly in the middle of the machines tested, but with a very quiet no-load level. We tested the motor's amperage draw (7.42 amps no-load/10.6 amps under load, 3.18-amp variance) and rpms (5,080rpms no load/4,990 rpms under load, 90-rpm variance). These results fell in the middle of the pack, as well. We ran ash boards through the planer to test cut performance. The snipe was next to negligible, but it occurred about 23/4" in from the end, which is pretty deep. The construction of the machine was good, with decent fit and finish. One regret is that the motor is mounted above the cutterhead. While the spiral knives make changing and adjusting the knives easier, the motor location compli cates things. In our prior test we gave our Editor's Choice award to the Powermatic, which is similar to the Shop Fox, with both using the same spiral-knife configu ration. Differences include the under-mounted motor, solid tables, integral mobile base and digital height readout on the Powermatic. The Powermatic's noise and rpm variance specs were better than those of the Shop Fox, but the W1724 is $500 less. The Shop Fox W1724 is a good planer, but a stripped-down version of the Powermatic. While we're a little tardy, we're awarding the Shop Fox W1724 a Best Value award in the 15" planer category. — DT For more information, circle #180 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Shop Fox W1724 15" Planer Street price: $1,099 Motor: 3 hp, 220V, single-phase, 5,000 rpm Capacity: 147/8"-wide x 6V8"-high Cutterhead: Spiral, 3 helical HSS blades Max. depth of cut: V8" Min. stock thickness: 3/i6" Shipping weight: 560 lbs. Performance: ••••o Price range: $$ Woodstock International: 800-840-8420 or woodstockinternational.com Veritas Scrub Plane Can Blaze Through a Board Though I own a powered jointer and planer, I always keep a scrub plane close by. It's good for dressing boards that are too wide for my powered equipment, or for adding a scalloped texture to the surfaces of rustic pieces. Some woodworkers make their own scrub planes from vintage planes by filing open the mouth and grinding a severe curve to the blade, but I've always preferred the real thing. Scrub planes are simpler, have a thicker iron and are built specifically for the task. With a couple winding sticks you can quickly true a board's face with this tool. Even ^"-thick shavings are no problem. Interestingly, there's evidence that this tool was designed for the home job site - to reduce boards in width, not in thickness. (Stanley's 1923 catalog backs this up.) Most modern-day woodworkers, however, use this tool to plane face grain, and it does do that task well. Veritas's new version of the scrub plane is solid, well-made and comfortable to use. At 3 pounds and 1 ounce, it's substantially heavier than the Lie-Nielsen version and Stanley's discontinued model (both are 21/2 pounds). The extra weight help s the tool plow through knots. I found the extra weight more tiring only during long sessions. Another new feature on the Veritas is the addition of two setscrews to keep the blade centered in the mouth when you slam into knots. Even with the setscrews backed off the blade always stayed put, so you might not actually need this feature. The ductile iron body and 3/l6"-thick blade ensure that this tool is nigh indestructible. I found the fit and finish to be excellent. Veritas continues to improve on this front with every tool. And the price is very reasonable. My only quibble with the Veritas is that the rear handle is a bit chunky for my taste, though that can be remedied quickly and easily with a rasp. All in all, the Veritas scrub plane is a tool you'll turn to more than you might imagine. — CS For more information, circle #181 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Veritas Scrub Plane Street price: $99 (#05P35.01) to $119 (#05P35.02) Blade: High carbon ($99) or A2 ($119) Body length: 11" Performance: ••••o Price range: $$$ Lee Valley Tools: 800-871 -8158 or leevalley.com popwood.com i 33 |
